In recent years, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have gained increasingly growing attention in biomedical engineering. Due to their in-vivo biocompatibility, relatively easy customization, and unique properties, GNPs can be used for therapeutics and diagnostics (theranostics).

In regenerative medicine, GNPs were applied to improve the engineered tissue's properties and performances. In this talk, I will present a novel heart therapy comprised of cardiac implants encapsulated within an injectable extracellular matrix-GNPs composite hydrogel. The GNPs induced higher capabilities of the engineered tissue, promoted the fast transfer of electrical signals between cardiac cells, and absorbed reactive oxygen species in-vitro and in-vivo in the mice ischemia-reperfusion model. In addition, the extracellular matrix-GNPs composite hydrogel could be efficiently imaged by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As MRI could also detect scar tissue, a distinction between the diseased area and the treatment could be made, providing information about the ability of the hydrogel to cover the scar. This novelty nanocomposite hydrogel may improve the accuracy of tissue engineering treatment.

Dr. Malka Shilo